Getting Through Life One Recipe at a Time

When I lived in Richmond, as an undergraduate at U of R, I was a great adventurer – maybe not Lewis or Clark – but I loved a little trip. A hike on the Civil War trail, a swim in the James River, a run through Hollywood Cemetery, a drive West, a sweaty day on a rock wall or loops around campus looking for a nook no one knew about.

After a weekend spent out and about, Sunday dinner had to be something hearty, something to revive me and prepare me for the week ahead. A pack up and go meal to take outside to enjoy that last sweet bit of fine weekend weather before Monday – classes, tests, grades.

Inevitably, I’d find myself getting a Shenandoah Wrap from a little restaurant near campus. The first time I tried this wrap I was hooked! It was so filling, so homey and I guess pretty healthy – though I am no nutritionist.

The tortilla stuffed to the brim with sauteéd greens, roasted sweet potatoes, gouda cheese, green apple slices and chicken could crush my hunger in a heartbeat, even on the most active of days.

Now, kind of an adult, trying to be a food blogger (a paid food blogger) but tied to a PA desk, living in a world where food has to be trendy and getting outside is often overlooked for bill paying and comparing catastrophic health insurance plans, I think fondly of that little weekend wrap and evenings spent eating dinner outside.

So I’ll make one, play hooky, and head somewhere. Happy to have an adventure and something wholesome to eat.

I hope you will too.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Peel the sweet potato, cut into wedges and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place the wedges on a sheet tray lined with foil. Add the chicken to the same sheet tray and give it a good drizzle of oil and sprinkle of salt and pepper. Roast the sweet potato and chicken for 45 – 55 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through.

While the chicken and potatoes cook, sauté the spinach. Add two turns of olive oil to a medium sized sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 – 2 minutes until fragrant.

Add the spinach.

Cook the spinach for 2 – 3 minutes until wilted.

When the chicken is cooked through let it rest for 10 minutes.

To assemble the wrap, slice the chicken, cheese, and green apples. Top the tortilla with spinach, sweet potato, chicken, cheese, and apple slices. Warm the wrap in the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese.

Toss sweet potato wedges in about a tablespoon of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat. Spread on a medium baking sheet, leaving room for the chicken breasts.

Add the chicken breasts to the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake in the oven for 45 – 55 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through to 165°F. Once cooked, set aside to rest.

While the chicken cooks, make the spinach. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium sauté pan set over medium-low flame. When the oil is hot, add the sliced garlic. Cook, while stirring, for 1 – 2 minutes until just golden and fragrant.

Add the spinach and cook for an additional 2 – 3 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Set aside.

To assemble, top the tortilla with a small pile of spinach, two or three potato wedges, a few slices of chicken, a couple pieces of cheese and some apple. Wrap in foil and toss in the hot oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese.